(1) Carlsen,Magnus (2801) - Adams,Michael (2698) [E46]
London Chess Classic London (6), 14.12.2009
[John Saunders]



1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nge2 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.g3 Re8 8.Bg2 Bf8 It seems to have been a recurring theme in this tournament: bishops going home to their original squares. Perhaps we could dub it a 'London bishop'?

9.0-0 Na6 10.a3 c6 11.f3 c5 12.g4 h6 13.h3








About 20 years ago, I adopted a similar structure of pawns around a fianchettoed bishop in my play and my clubmates thereafter referred to such a configuration as 'a Saunders bishop'. I should add that they did not mean it in a nice way: it was a cruel jibe intended to undermine what little faith I had in my strategic abilities. I just hope some of these unkind people are reading this annotation and can see that the Saunders bishop now comes with the Carlsen stamp of approval. In fact, by way of a Christmas present, I am prepared to cede any claim I have to naming rights for this to him - completely free, gratis and for nothing. But I am not sure he would want it because his position isn't terribly good here. Black has much the easier position to play.

13...b6 14.Ng3 Bb7 15.f4 Rc8 16.g5 Carlsen probably felt morally obliged to justify the overextension of his kingside but this does not help.

16...hxg5 17.fxg5 Ne4! Black has quite an audacious plan in mind.

18.Ncxe4 dxe4 19.Qg4 g6 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 21.Bxe4 cxd4! 22.Bb7 Rc2! 23.Bxa6 Qc7








Black has given up a piece for a strong attack.

24.Qf4 Bd6 25.Qf3 Bc5 [Here the commentary and press rooms were willing Black to play 25...dxe3! The reason Michael Adams didn't play this was because he thought White could play 26.Bd3 , missing the fact that Black could then follow up with 26...Bc5! which should sure the win for Black after 27.Bxc2 e2+ 28.Kg2 exf1Q+ 29.Qxf1 Qc6+! etc. Easily missed, of course. I think Carlsen also missed the Bc5 possibility.]

26.Qf4 Bd6 [One intriguing line considered in the commentary room was 26...Re5 27.exd4?! Rxg5+! 28.Kh1 Qc6+ 29.Qf3 and now the bone-crushing move 29...Rg3!! 30.Qxc6 Rxh3+ 31.Kg1 Bxd4+ 32.Rf2 Bxf2+ 33.Kf1 Rxc6 34.Kxf2 Rh1 and Black wins. White should play 27 e4! though it is still very complex.]

27.Qf3 Bc5 28.Qf4 Qxf4 [28...Bd6 would not be a threefold repetition.]

29.Rxf4 dxe3 30.Kf1 Adams admitted he had not seen the plan of Kf1-e1 for white.

30...e2+ 31.Ke1 Rd8 32.Bxe2 Re8 33.Bd2! White can't save a piece but he can ensure that he loses the right bishop so that opposite-coloured bishops remain on the board, thereby improving his drawing chances.

33...Rxd2 34.Kxd2 Be3+ 35.Kc2 Bxf4 36.Bc4 Bxg5 37.Rg1 Re5 38.h4 [38.Rf1 is even simpler and would probably lead to a very early ceasefire.]

38...Bxh4 39.Rxg6+ Kf8 40.Rd6








Black has an extra pawn but no real way of exploiting the material advantage.

40...Re7 41.Bb5 Rc7+ 42.Rc6 Re7 43.Rd6 Re5 44.Bc4 Rf5 45.b4 Ke7 46.Rd5 Rf2+ 47.Rd2 Rf4 48.Bb5 Ke6 49.Re2+ Kf6 50.Rd2 Ke6 51.Re2+ Kf6 52.Rd2 Bf2 53.Rd7 a5 54.bxa5 bxa5 55.a4 Bc5 56.Rd5 Bb4 57.Kd3 Ke6 58.Rd4 Rf3+ 59.Ke2 Ra3 60.Bc4+ Ke5 61.Rd3 Rxd3 1/2-1/2